Elk viewing, golfing, hiking and more among top 10 summer activities in Gaylord

GAYLORD — The City of Gaylord and Otsego County have been drawing visitors to enjoy Northern Michigan's four seasons for many years.

Here is a list of attractions for visitors to explore:

1. Gaylord Elk Park

Gaylord is one of the few cities that actively maintains an elk herd and provides public viewing areas for the public to watch these animals, which are one of the largest species within the deer family. Under the city’s care, roughly 40 elk can be viewed from near the Elk’s Lodge off of Grandview Boulevard.

The herd is contained on 108 acres. City staff feed the animals corn, hay and sugar beets, plus vitamins. The herd started with three elk when a local nature center closed in the late 1980s.

2. Otsego Lake State Park

Located at 7136 Old U.S. Highway 27 S., the 62-acre park is home to large oak, maple and pine trees and contains campsites near the lake. The easily accessible swimming beach and day-use area include picnic tables, grills, a floating fishing pier and water volleyball. The popular boat launch provides access for motorized and non-motorized watercraft.

3. Aspen Park

Aspen Park is a year-round wonder located at 239 Commerce Blvd. The park has 100 acres of woods, paved and unpaved trails, and tennis courts. During the winter you can enjoy the groomed cross country ski trails or set off on a pair of snowshoes. If mountain biking is more to your liking that can also be done in Aspen Park. Last year, a Gaylord High School student, Gage Philippy, led a community effort to build a COVID-19 memorial here.

4. Alpenfest

Held every summer, except in 2020 due to the coronavirus, this festival showcases the city's Alpine architecture and its sister city relationship with Pontresina, Switzerland.

Alpenfest takes over Main Street in downtown Gaylord for four days in July, offering food, a parade, rides, entertainment, along with arts and crafts on display and for sale. It also serves as Gaylord's unofficial annual homecoming weekend, with former residents returning to enjoy the festivities and meet up with family and friends.

5. Otsego County Historical Museum

Located at 320 W. Main St., the museum is operated by the Otsego County Historical Society, which was established in 1963 with the purpose of bringing together people interested in history, especially the history of Otsego County.

The museum chronicles the history of Otsego County from as far back as the 1800s. Changing displays feature artifacts, photos and memorabilia from county history.

6. Call of the Wild Museum

There is an Alaskan brown bear and a polar bear in Gaylord and they stand tall, poised and look a bit aggressive in the Call of the Wild Museum at 850 S. Wisconsin Ave., which has over 100 taxidermy animals on display.

Other features include the Wildlife Theater, a hands-on discovery room, and a window display with antique fishing and hunting items. In addition to the museum, Call of the Wild also has a gift shop and an adjacent miniature golf course and go-cart track.

7. Louis M. Groen Preserve

Upon his death in 2011, businessman Louis Groen left Otsego County with nearly 800 acres of pristine forest in Johannesburg at 2043 Gingell Road that is now called the Louis M. Groen Preserve. The property contains Kujawa and Johannesburg lakes, along with reminders that it was once the home of the Johannesburg Manufacturing Company and Echo Valley Resort.

The public can access the preserve for activities such as hiking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and horseback riding.

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8. Gaylord Golf Mecca

Home to 17 of the finest golf courses in Northern Michigan, Gaylord calls itself America's premier summer golf mecca. Treetops Resort, located at 3962 Wilkinson Road, includes The Masterpiece that was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. The signature sixth hole features a 120' vertical drop and a panoramic view of the Pigeon River Valley. The Premier course at Treetops is the only Tom Fazio designed course in Michigan.

9. The Gaylord Car

Over 100 years ago, a group of people in Otsego County pooled their money to create the Gaylord Motor Car Company. The company's Gaylord Car was featured at the New York Automobile Show in 1911. After three years of production, the Gaylord Car Company went bankrupt in 1913. Only one Gaylord Car is known to exist and is on display at the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center at 319 W. Main St.

10. Otsego Resort

Founded in 1939, Otsego Resort has been a prominent fixture in Northern Michigan and is the oldest continuously operating private ski club in America. The resort, located at 696 M-32, features ski hills and 36-holes of championship golf led by the Tribute course. It also offers a variety of lodging rooms, suites, and condominiums along with more than 24,000 square feet of meeting space.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Elk viewing, golfing, hiking among top 10 summer activities in Gaylord